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Russia, US share interest in strategic stability, have active contacts — Lavrov

According to the Russian Foreign Minister, Russia is "for a comprehensive approach and for taking into account all factors that influence strategic stability without any exceptions in the further dialogue with the United States"

MOSCOW, June 9. /TASS/. Moscow and Washington are conducting intensive contacts towards strategic stability, as this issue lies within the range of common interests, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told experts, diplomats, and decision-makers at the Primakov Readings international forum in Moscow on Wednesday.

"We share common interests in the field of strategic stability. We maintain rather intensive contacts on what approach should be made to this aspect of world politics. I can say outright that we are for a comprehensive approach and for taking into account all factors that influence strategic stability without any exceptions in our further dialogue with the United States… Everything that influences strategic stability must be a subject matter for discussion," Lavrov said.

He stressed that he was referring to both nuclear and non-nuclear and offensive and defensive weapons, while the Americans take a far more narrow approach to this issue. The United States is interested only in certain aspects of the nuclear triad, he remarked.

"I hope that the presidents [at the Russian-US summit in Geneva] will be able to use the proposed draft solutions and the consultations we are conducting ahead of the summit to map strategic guidelines for further efforts along these tracks," Lavrov concluded.

The Kremlin and the White House said earlier that Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Joe Biden would meet in Geneva on June 16. The Russian presidential press service said the two sides would discuss the current condition of Russian-US relations and the outlook for their development, strategic stability, and also crucial issues on the international agenda, including cooperation in the struggle against the coronavirus pandemic and the settlement of regional conflicts. It will be the first personal meeting between Putin and Biden since the latter took office.